Peterson's Drum Blog
Monday, August 4, 2008
Cindy Blackmen Interview
Note from Admin:
This interview is for July.
Petersons Drum Blog:
When you were 14 years old, you got your first real professional drumset. What was the first time you sat down behind it like?
Cindy Blackmen:
The first time I sat behind that kit was amazing because I worked all summer to pay for it and I had so much anticipation for playing it & I was so excited about playing a better instrument that I was completely elated!
PDB:
Tony Williams was a early influence to you. Why was he a big part of your drumming then?
CB:
Tony Williams was & IS a big part of my drumming because of his flawless technique, many innovations, his sound, his attitude on the drums & about music, his dedication to the instrument & the art of creativity, his compositional skills & his bravaro in general.
PDB:
You later moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music with Alan Dawson, one of Tony Williams' teachers. What were some of his methods that you still use today?CB:
Alan Dawson was such a great teacher that I only took 2 lessons from him & I still practice the things that he showed me....... He showed me independence exercises in the Syncopation book & his rudimentary studies...... All awesome!
PDB:
Tell us about your days in New York City in the early 80's as a street performer.
CB:
I loved playing out there at that time because I could get 2 days of playing into one day cause we played for about 7 hours a day! It was a great place to work out things that I heard on record & had practiced & awesome to play that much. And some great people came out there too..... Even Dexter Gordon watched us one day!
PDB:
While in New York, you got to meet Art Blakey. You went to a lot of his shows and asked him a lot of questions about drumming. How much has he shaped your style of playing?
CB:
Art Blakey adopted me like a daughter & I called him Poppa! He taught me so much! ... Like how to shade the cymbals, he let me sit in with his band & even rehearse them once! And, to play behind him you had really step up to the plate because he play with the drive, power, feeling and heart of any huge force of nature. he also taught me a lot about things other than music which had to do with life in general..... He was a treasure!
PDB:
In 87' you played on your first compositions which appeared on Wallace Roney's 'Verses' album. What was your emotion hearing yourself on that.
CB:
Yes, those were my first compositions but on his first album Tony Williams played not me. And, Tony came into NY without his drums so I also had the honor of bring my kit for him , which by the way was his exact set up. I was so excited to watch him play the music AND my drums! And he didn't re-tune them or anything & told me that he liked the way they sounded... All of that was a complete honor!!!! And his interpretation of my songs was AMAZING! His concept is the most advanced that I've heard.
PDB:
A short year after the 'Verses' album was released, you released 'Arcane', your debut as a bandleader. What was the studio days like recording this album?
CB:
It was quick- we rehearsed one day & recorded the next. The album was done in less than 6 hours..... But needless to say I was absolutely excited because I was blessed with such great musicians like Joe Henderson, Wallace Roney, Buster Williams, Kenny Garrett, Larry Willis, Clarence Seay & more!Yes, that was an exciting moment.
PDB:
In your early Lenny Kravitz days, you made the first music video with him, 'Are You Gonna Go My Way.' What was it like to make that video?
CB:
I had never made a video prior to that so had no idea what to expect. It was great fun! We shot for abut 16 hours and to see the behind the scenes action was really cool...
PDB:
How did you finally adapt to playing for large crowds with Lenny?
CB:
That came by just doing more & more shows and it became very comfortable to do.
PDB:
In 2004, you left Lenny's band. How big of a decision was that to you?
CB:
Well, without getting into detail I'll say that then as well as my final departure from that band in 2007 was great musically. I was & am able to play with many more people & most importantly to play more adventuresome music- JAZZ/CREATIVE music!
PDB:
In 2005 you released Music for the New Millennium on your Sacred Sounds Label. How long did it take you to write it?
CB:
Not exactly how long it took to write that music because some of it was written a bit prior and some of it, just days before. I had a concept in mind because I wanted to weave a theme in & out. That song is called 'Insight" and we played it in several different ways throughout the Album. We recorded so much music that I decided to make it a double CD!
It can be purchased right now on www.cdbaby.com/cd/cindyblackman and there will be updates on my web site about other places to purchase it in the future on my web site www.cindyblackman.com and or www.myspace.com/cindyblackmanmusic.
This interview is for July.
Petersons Drum Blog:
When you were 14 years old, you got your first real professional drumset. What was the first time you sat down behind it like?
Cindy Blackmen:
The first time I sat behind that kit was amazing because I worked all summer to pay for it and I had so much anticipation for playing it & I was so excited about playing a better instrument that I was completely elated!
PDB:
Tony Williams was a early influence to you. Why was he a big part of your drumming then?
CB:
Tony Williams was & IS a big part of my drumming because of his flawless technique, many innovations, his sound, his attitude on the drums & about music, his dedication to the instrument & the art of creativity, his compositional skills & his bravaro in general.
PDB:
You later moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music with Alan Dawson, one of Tony Williams' teachers. What were some of his methods that you still use today?CB:
Alan Dawson was such a great teacher that I only took 2 lessons from him & I still practice the things that he showed me....... He showed me independence exercises in the Syncopation book & his rudimentary studies...... All awesome!
PDB:
Tell us about your days in New York City in the early 80's as a street performer.
CB:
I loved playing out there at that time because I could get 2 days of playing into one day cause we played for about 7 hours a day! It was a great place to work out things that I heard on record & had practiced & awesome to play that much. And some great people came out there too..... Even Dexter Gordon watched us one day!
PDB:
While in New York, you got to meet Art Blakey. You went to a lot of his shows and asked him a lot of questions about drumming. How much has he shaped your style of playing?
CB:
Art Blakey adopted me like a daughter & I called him Poppa! He taught me so much! ... Like how to shade the cymbals, he let me sit in with his band & even rehearse them once! And, to play behind him you had really step up to the plate because he play with the drive, power, feeling and heart of any huge force of nature. he also taught me a lot about things other than music which had to do with life in general..... He was a treasure!
PDB:
In 87' you played on your first compositions which appeared on Wallace Roney's 'Verses' album. What was your emotion hearing yourself on that.
CB:
Yes, those were my first compositions but on his first album Tony Williams played not me. And, Tony came into NY without his drums so I also had the honor of bring my kit for him , which by the way was his exact set up. I was so excited to watch him play the music AND my drums! And he didn't re-tune them or anything & told me that he liked the way they sounded... All of that was a complete honor!!!! And his interpretation of my songs was AMAZING! His concept is the most advanced that I've heard.
PDB:
A short year after the 'Verses' album was released, you released 'Arcane', your debut as a bandleader. What was the studio days like recording this album?
CB:
It was quick- we rehearsed one day & recorded the next. The album was done in less than 6 hours..... But needless to say I was absolutely excited because I was blessed with such great musicians like Joe Henderson, Wallace Roney, Buster Williams, Kenny Garrett, Larry Willis, Clarence Seay & more!Yes, that was an exciting moment.
PDB:
In your early Lenny Kravitz days, you made the first music video with him, 'Are You Gonna Go My Way.' What was it like to make that video?
CB:
I had never made a video prior to that so had no idea what to expect. It was great fun! We shot for abut 16 hours and to see the behind the scenes action was really cool...
PDB:
How did you finally adapt to playing for large crowds with Lenny?
CB:
That came by just doing more & more shows and it became very comfortable to do.
PDB:
In 2004, you left Lenny's band. How big of a decision was that to you?
CB:
Well, without getting into detail I'll say that then as well as my final departure from that band in 2007 was great musically. I was & am able to play with many more people & most importantly to play more adventuresome music- JAZZ/CREATIVE music!
PDB:
In 2005 you released Music for the New Millennium on your Sacred Sounds Label. How long did it take you to write it?
CB:
Not exactly how long it took to write that music because some of it was written a bit prior and some of it, just days before. I had a concept in mind because I wanted to weave a theme in & out. That song is called 'Insight" and we played it in several different ways throughout the Album. We recorded so much music that I decided to make it a double CD!
It can be purchased right now on www.cdbaby.com/cd/cindyblackman and there will be updates on my web site about other places to purchase it in the future on my web site www.cindyblackman.com and or www.myspace.com/cindyblackmanmusic.
Labels: Cindy Blackmen Interview
